Playground safety has significantly improved over the past 25 years through the dedicated efforts of our members and other activists. The members of IPEMA are playground and equipment surfacing manufacturers who believe playground safety is a vital component to their work. For years we have stressed the importance of playground safety providing third-party product certification program for public play equipment and surfacing materials. TYPE OF FACILITYĬenter, Early Head Start, Head Start, Large Family Child Care Home, Small Family Child Care Home RELATED STANDARDS 6.2.2.3At IPEMA, our mission is to improve playground safety. There should be no objects or persons within the “use zone,” other than the child on the swing. To calculate use zone: x 2 = “use zone” in front of the swing and x 2 = “use zone” behind the swing. RATIONALEĪ use zone area is necessary to avoid body contact with children in swings (1-3). Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Public Playground Safety Handbook. Swings should be arranged in accordance with the ASTM International (ASTM) standards “F1487-07ae1: Consumer Safety Performance Specifications for Playground Equipment for Public Use” and “F2373-08: Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Public Use Play Equipment for Children 6 Months through 23 Months,” and the U.S. The use zone to the front and rear of the swings should extend a minimum distance of twice the height of the pivot point measured from a point directly beneath the pivot to the protective surface. Swings should have a use zone (clearance space) on the sides of the swing of six feet. RATIONALEĪmple space to enable movement around and use of equipment also helps to restrict the number of pieces of equipment within the play area, thus preventing overcrowding and reducing the potential for injury (1-3). Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Public Playground Safety Handbook.Įquipment should be situated so that clearance space, called use zones, allocated to one piece of equipment does not encroach on that of another piece of equipment. Playgrounds should be laid out to ensure clearance in accordance with the ASTM standards “F2373-08: Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Public Use Play Equipment for Children 6 Months through 23 Months” and “F1487-07ae1: Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Playground Equipment for Public Use” and the U.S. TYPE OF FACILITYĬenter, Early Head Start, Head Start, Large Family Child Care Home, Small Family Child Care Home RELATED STANDARDS 6.2.2.1Ħ.2.2.4: Clearance Requirements of Playground Areas Placing moving equipment around the perimeter of the play area will reduce the number of traffic paths around this equipment (1).
Moving play equipment, such as swings and merry-go-rounds, should be located toward the edge or corner of a play area, or should be placed in such a way as to discourage children from running into the path of the moving equipment (see Appendix HH, Use Zones and Clearance Dimensions for Single- and Multi-Axis Swings). West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.Ħ.2.2.3: Location of Moving Play Equipment Standard consumer safety performance specification for playground equipment for public use. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.ĪSTM International (ASTM).
Standard consumer safety performance specification for public use play equipment for children 6 months through 23 months.
Bethesda, MD: CPSC.ĪSTM International (ASTM). Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). TYPE OF FACILITYĬenter, Early Head Start, Head Start, Large Family Child Care Home, Small Family Child Care Home RELATED STANDARDS 6.2.2.2Ĭlearance Requirements of Playground AreasĪppendix HH: Use Zones and Clearance Dimensions for Single-and Multi-Axis Swings Injuries from falls are more likely to occur when equipment spacing is inadequate (1). For fixed play equipment only used by children six months to twenty-three months, a minimum three-foot use zone is required (2). 6.2.2.1: Use Zone for Fixed Play EquipmentĪll fixed play equipment should have a minimum of six feet use zone (clearance space) from walkways, buildings, and other structures that are not used as part of play activities (1,3).